Cinemax Comedy Experiment

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Cinemax Comedy Experiment is an American comedy anthology series that aired on Cinemax from February 16, 1985, to August 12, 1989. Each 30-minute episode was written and directed by a different stand-up comedian, with a total of 45 installments. It was one of the first major comedy programs on a pay TV network and helped pave the way for later Cinemax specials, such as Jerry Seinfeld’s. The show gave comedians a lot of creative freedom, with Cinemax executives offering few notes as long as the episodes fit the time slot. The program emerged when premium cable was seen as a home for high-cost comedy and as Cinemax competed with video stores to attract and keep subscribers. Creators and contributors included Harry Shearer, Chris Elliott, and Gilbert Gottfried; occasionally non-standups participated, such as Garry Trudeau and Elizabeth Swados, who rewrote their off-Broadway show Rap Master Ronnie for the series. The Firesign Theatre also adapted their album Eat Or Be Eaten as an episode.